If your favourite drink is a mixture of alcohol and diet pop, make sure you have a designated driver.

Researchers in Australia have found that diet drinks may make you drunker... sooner.

Their study tracked the blood alcohol of imbibers who drank vodka with a regular mix on one day and vodka with a diet mix on another day.

After 30 minutes of downing regular drinks... the participants had an average blood alcohol level of .03 compared to .05 after diet drinks.

And,generally, the women became more intoxicated more quickly than the men.

It seems the sugar content of a drink affects how quickly the alcohol enters a person's system.